Choosing the Obvious

What shall I give back to the Lord
For all He rendered to me?
I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord. (Ps 116:12–13)

I read the above passage yesterday and was struck by the obvious. The Lord has provided all things abundantly in Christ. What else can I do but take up the cup of salvation He offers? what else but call upon Him? It is to His glory that I have been so richly blessed. It is only right that my response is fully unto Him, even as Cyprian once wrote:

For this it is which especially pleases God; it is this wherein our works with greater deserts are successful in earning God’s good-will; this it is which alone the obedience of our faith and devotion can render to the Lord for His great and saving benefits, as the Holy Spirit declares and witnesses in the Psalms: “What shall I render,” says he, “to the Lord for all His benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Who would not gladly and readily receive the cup of salvation? Who would not with joy and gladness desire that in which he himself also may render somewhat unto His Lord? Who would not bravely and unfalteringly receive a death precious in the sight of the Lord, to please His eyes, who, looking down from above upon us who are placed in the conflict for His name, approves the willing, assists the struggling, crowns the conquering with the recompense of patience, goodness, and affection, rewarding in us whatever He Himself has bestowed, and honoring what He has accomplished?

Epistle to Nemesianus and Other Martyrs in the Mines 76.4

Looking Forward to the Perfect

For one and the same Lord, who is greater than the temple, greater than Solomon, and greater than Jonah, confers gifts upon men, that is, His own presence, and the resurrection from the dead.  But He does not change God, nor proclaim another Father, but that very same one, who always has more to measure out to those of His household.  And as their love towards God increases, He bestows more and greater [gifts], as also the Lord said to His disciples: “You shall see greater things than these.”  And Paul declares: “Not that I have already attained, or that I am justified, or already have been made perfect.… For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect has come, the things which are in part shall be done away.”

As, therefore, when that which is perfect is come, we shall not see another Father, but Him whom we now desire to see (for “blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”); neither shall we look for another Christ and Son of God, but Him who [was born] of the Virgin Mary, who also suffered, in whom too we trust, and whom we love; as Isaiah says: “And they shall say in that day, Behold our Lord God, in whom we have trusted, and we have rejoiced in our salvation;” and Peter says in his Epistle: “Whom, not seeing, you love; in whom, though now you see Him not, you have believed, you rejoice with joy unspeakable;” neither do we receive another Holy Spirit, besides Him who is with us, and who cries, “Abba, Father.”  And we shall make increase in the very same things, and shall make progress, so that no longer through a glass, or by means of enigmas, but face to face, we shall enjoy the gifts of God;—so also now, receiving more than the temple, and more than Solomon, that is, the advent of the Son of God, we have not been taught another God besides the Framer and the Maker of all, who has been pointed out to us from the beginning; nor another Christ, the Son of God, besides Him who was foretold by the prophets.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.9.2

Hopelessly Devoted to You

Recently, my attention has been drawn to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOP-KC) for various reasons, not least of which is that some in our church have been there and were greatly impressed.  With a gimmicky name like that I am skeptical.  (IHOP?  Excuse me, but couldn't somebody come up with something original? Cue yellow flags.) 

I was looking at their website a bit just now.  Their existence is premised on a faulty understanding of devotion to God presumably built around David's worship method in 1 Chronicles 15:1-17:27.  (Cue red flags.)  The article outlining the history of 24/7 prayer is filled with examples of the Desert Fathers and later ascetics who were given over wholly in their devotion of God.  (Cue red flags waving wildly and sirens blaring.)

Now this group does not have a monopoly on misplaced devotion.  One can walk into what has become a typical church meeting to find people with arms raised singing their lungs out to songs that have no meaning, but because Jesus is mentioned, they must be good.  I do believe that if the song leader started "Jesus Is Just All Right with Me" by the Doobie Brothers or George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord," nobody would notice the difference.  The euphoria would carry the meeting.  (OK, maybe somebody would notice on the latter song when we got to "Hare Krishna, Hare, Hare" but certainly not before then.)

Why am I being sarcastic and skeptical of this attitude?  Because it espouses a devotion never found or intended in Scripture.  It is a devotion rightly directed to a spouse, but because of an ascetic lifestyle in church history and Roman Catholic doctrine, has been given up and transferred to God himself.  Protestants have decided this must be worthwhile, though it has no biblical basis.  Paul indicated that celibacy was appropriate for a few (1 Cor 7:7, 17), not an entire class of men and women.  As an aside, if you want to feel devotion like Olivia Newton John sang of in the title of this piece, find yourself someone of the opposite sex, marry, and be one flesh as God intended.

Previously, I had posted on what true love looks like as Moses discussed it in Deuteronomy. That has not changed between then and now.  Godward devotion is nothing more than doing those good deeds that he has prepared for us to walk in (Eph 2:10).  Is the walk passionate?  It can be.  Will Jesus be my lover?  Never in a million years.